Ralph Waldo Emerson once said that “Every artist was first an amateur”. I was first introduced to the art of enameling, when my father, Ivan Hoe, founder of ROYAL INSIGNIA, assigned me to one of our in-house enamalists. I performed menial tasks such as grinding enamel powder till my hands ached with unbearable torment as my teacher was unwilling to teach, for fear that copycats may exploit the sacred art of enameling. Through the hardship of grooming myself to become a worthy student did I finally find a sense of purpose - to master this art and strengthen the family business. There are many techniques of enameling that intrigue me. One of them that I am particularly interested in mastering is Plique-à-jour (French for "letting in daylight"). It is a vitreous enameling technique where the enamel is applied in cells with no backing in the final product, so light can shine through the transparent or translucent enamel. Despite my degree in Product Design from Goldsmith College London (LASALLE) and an apprenticeship with a Master Enamelist in London under my belt, when I think back to my humble beginnings at the workshop as an amateur, I've learnt that the most important aspect about being an artist, is to never stop learning - for life, never stops teaching.